Portræt af J. J. Brandt 1758

Cornelius Høyer created this intimate portrait of J.J. Brandt without a specified date, using an unknown medium to capture the likeness of his subject. During the late 18th century, portraiture served as a powerful marker of social status and personal identity. Brandt's attire and composed demeanor reflect the values of the bourgeois class, emphasizing their respectability and engagement with the world of commerce. The painting reflects how identity was carefully constructed and performed through visual representation. Høyer, positioned as an artist navigating the social structures of his time, was complicit in this construction. The small scale invites viewers into an intimate encounter, yet the sitter remains distant, embodying the complexities of identity and representation of the era.